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My first puppy was Pele. Found him at the Humane Society with a full litter of what were called "German Shephard Mixes" that were supposed to grow to be 60-70 pounds. He grew to be 120 pounds, and we decided he was part malamute, german shepard, chow, and just about any big dog variety you can imagine.
He was a big bundle of love though. I talked to him like a friend. When I'd get into arguments with my parents I'd go on long long all night walks with him around town, and find building corners, or park benches on hills overlooking town to curl up with him and cry. When I was 15 and he was 3 he started losing muscle-mass rapidly. We finally found out he had Adkinson's disease, and that there was a medication that would keep him from losing more weight, but because of his size would cost $200+ a month to sustain him, and he'd never get that muscle mass back that he had lost. So, we decided it would be better for him to not suffer anymore.
I still remember that last day I saw him, and just talking about it makes me tear up and want to start crying my heart out. My whole family had shown up, and he literally had no muscle left, unable to pick himself up. I showed up and hugged him for who knows how long, and when the vet said I had to leave he forced himself up out of the vet's grasp, and tried pushing himself through the door to get to me.
I now have an adorable, defensive yet friendly Rottweiler/Blue Heeler mix who is about 2 years old, and I talk to him as a friend, but he's rambunctious, and doesn't like to lay close like Pele used to. He just wants to play play play.
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